I am upgrading my O.S. and my computer for running the newsletter.
I installed Fedora 3. There was a switch unfortunately from the
GUI tree structure file manager to a separate window for each folder opened.
Therein lies the basis for a 3 dimensional file structure.

Trouble is with the Fedora Gnome implementation the tree structure was
removed. Big mistake. XTree Gold for DOS was the finest file
manager ever invented. Long gone but re implemented for
Linux as XT for Linux and Windows in the form of Ztree. Been using
XT for Linux for the last seven years.

Fortunately Fedora Gnome (and KDE for that matter) has the capability 
of multiple virtual desktops. You select them in a 2D grid pattern at 
the bottom of the screen. I now use 27 in three rows of 9.
The upper row holds 9 major file structures displayed in tree form
using XT for Linux. They are numbered nl through nl8.
They roughly hold all the thousands of files accumulated in one year 
of the newsletter. There are categories or sub folders of course 
dealing with thousands  of files each year.

The second row holds the Gnome file managers capable of displaying the 
thumbnails. You find the folder you are looking for in the upper row. 
Go directly to the row below it and open that folder. 

First level of my new  system is the tree. For that I use XT for Linux.
Find the folder with files of interest in the tree. Click on that folder 
in the row below and you get a Gnome file manager window with thumb nails for all
files in that folder.

This will speed up my work greatly on this newsletter. If you want more 
info on this subject contact me off line by putting the word PRIVATE in 
the subject box.

BTW here is a shot of my new tiny Space Walker computer. Perfect
for mounting in your aircraft instrument panel. Well made little jewel with
some of the finest fabricated aluminum chassis work I have ever seen.
Heat pipes and heat exchanger to cool the 3 gigahertz CPU.
DVD burner and floppy disk not to mention half a dozen USB interfaces.
There is even an RS232 for a data ack RS232 network.
Cheap too at under $400. Most desk top high brightness flat screens 
these days work off 12 volts directly.

Dozens of low cost moving map programs are out there for standard 
PCs including a few with virtual reality so you can fly in a thick 
fog through mountain passes if you are really brave or stupid :)

Paul Lamar
 
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